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The Badge
The Badge is a short story which Johns wrote for The Strand Magazine January 1950. The story was not gathered into an anthology in Johns' lifetime and only came out in Winged Justice and Other Uncollected Stories published by Norman Wright in 2001. Synopsis The events in the story take place during the Indo-Pakistan War shortly after the independence of both countries. An Indian army soldier, captured by Pathan tribesmen on the Northwest Frontier desperately searches for a way to save himself. Plot (may contain spoilers - click on expand to read) Tulsi Ram, a havaldar (N.C.O.) is in command of a detachment of Indian army troops manning a picket on the Northwest Frontier. A veteran of the Second World War and a former member of the Shikaris regiment, an elite frontier unit, Tulsi is alert to danger. After all, his company headquarters had warned that a unit of Pathan tribesmen was operating in the neighbourhood of his position. However the other soldiers, all young and inexperienced, insist that there is no threat. They had searched and had not found anything. Reluctantly, Tulsi settles down for the night. Tulsi wakes up to find himself bound and on the ground. He has become a prisoner of the Pathans! They tell him his unit had all been killed but that they intend to keep him to die a slow death. Desperately, he looks around and notices a Pathan with a triangular scar whom the others called Gul Baz. He searches his memory and remembers where he had seen him: it was before the Second World War. This Pathan was a member of his regiment and they had been in the regimental relay race team and had won the competition at the brigade sports at Sultanabad. Tulsi calls to Gul Baz and tells him about this but the latter demands proof. Tulsi can recall the name of their Colonel at that time, but that is not enough. Gul Baz needs something to convince his fellow Pathans. Desperate for some solid evidence, Tulsi remembers that he still kept his old regimental cap badge. The regiment had been allocated to Pakistan at the Partition of India. The Sikh and Dogra companies (which Tulsi was in) had been detached and had been ordered to turn in their cap badges. But the British brigadier had insisted on them being returned to the deparating soldiers as a souvenir. Tulsi's arms are bound so he asks Gul Baz to reach into his pockets to take the badge out. It is enough. Gul Baz goes off to argue the case with his comrades. Gul Baz comes back and frees Tulsi and takes him part of the way towards the nearest Indian position. "Go in peace," Gul Baz tells him. It is a bad thing that old regimental comrades had to fight each other in the name of religion. Characters *Tulsi Ram *Gul Baz *Sher Singh Aircraft No aircraft appear in this story. Places *Northwest Frontier *Sultanabad *Singapore Research Notes *The Shikaris regiment might refer to the Guides Infantry, which had Muslim, Sikh and Dogra companies as mentioned in the story. Following the Partition of India, the Guides regiment was allocated to Pakistan but the Sikh and Dogra companies were detached and allocated to India. However this regiment does not have a cap badge featuring a crescent and quoit entwined. Publication History *Strand Magazine, January 1950 *Collected in Winged Justice and Other Uncollected Stories, Norman Wright, 2001 References Category:Short stories Category:Other short stories